1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of plant genetics. More particularly, it concerns intergeneric hybrid plants and methods for production and use thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
By 2025, world energy consumption is expected to increase 57% over 2002 levels. While many different alternative energy sources will be used to meet this demand, it is clear that the production of energy from biomass will be necessary to meet the goals described in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which requires fuel producers to use at least 36 billion gallons of alternative fuels annually by 2022. Production of alternate fuels from starch alone will not meet these goals. This will require a significant investment in research and an industrial commitment to reach these production goals. The development of this new biofuel industry must be based on the production of dedicated bioenergy feedstocks to insure a consistent and stable biomass supply, thereby justifying the large capital investment needed to build biomass conversion plants. While crop residues from currently grown feed and food crops can and will be used, they will likely only serve to supplement biomass production from dedicated energy crops on an as needed basis.
There thus far has been relatively little emphasis placed on the development and improvement of crops dedicated to biofuel production. Several of the species most commonly proposed as dedicated biofuel feedstocks include switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), poplar (Populus sp.), sugar/energycane (Saccharum sp.), miscanthus (Miscanthus sp.), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). There are now agronomic, breeding, and genomic programs focused on enhancing the cellulosic bioenergy potential of these plant species. However, at present, there is not a given crop species that embodies all of the desired characteristics of a dedicated biofuel feedstock.